The present invention relates generally to sewing machines having an electric drive and a foot control for regulating the sewing speed and for selecting at least one needle stop position and more specifically to sewing machines wherein the foot control has a range of regulation for which regulating signals for determining the sewing speed are produced, and an off position for which a switch off signal, different from the regulating signals, is produced. A receiver for these signals is provided, which when it receives an off signal, operates to control the needle in one of the stop positions.
Such a sewing machine is described in PCT-Application WO No. 82/03 879. This known machine is relatively simple because it is provided with an usual foot control with a variable resistance and a circuit breaker at one of its end positions. However, the foot control described has an important drawback in that to reverse the position of the needle between its upper stop position, which it assumes automatically when the machine is stopped, and the bottom stop position, or from the bottom stop position to the upper stop position, the foot control must be brought into its control position for only a short time interval. Such position reversals are difficult, particularly for unpracticed persons.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce and to transmit additional control signals between a foot control and a sewing machine. It is a further object of the present invention to simplify a control for a sewing machine and to provide a more versatile sewing machine control.